22 And (A)he put all things under his feet and gave him as (B)head over all things to the church, 23 (C)which is his body, (D)the fullness of him (E)who fills (F)all in all.

Read full chapter

22 And God placed all things under his feet(A) and appointed him to be head(B) over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,(C) the fullness of him(D) who fills everything in every way.(E)

Read full chapter

19 So then you are no longer (A)strangers and aliens,[a] but you are (B)fellow citizens with the saints and (C)members of the household of God, 20 (D)built on the foundation of the (E)apostles and prophets, (F)Christ Jesus himself being (G)the cornerstone, 21 (H)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into (I)a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him (J)you also are being built together (K)into a dwelling place for God by[b] the Spirit.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:19 Or sojourners
  2. Ephesians 2:22 Or in

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,(A) but fellow citizens(B) with God’s people and also members of his household,(C) 20 built(D) on the foundation(E) of the apostles and prophets,(F) with Christ Jesus himself(G) as the chief cornerstone.(H) 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple(I) in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.(J)

Read full chapter

To me, (A)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, (B)to preach to the Gentiles the (C)unsearchable (D)riches of Christ,

Read full chapter

Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,(A) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles(B) the boundless riches of Christ,(C)

Read full chapter

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom (A)every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to (B)the riches of his glory (C)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit (D)in your inner being, 17 (E)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being (F)rooted and (G)grounded in love, 18 may have strength to (H)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and (I)height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ (J)that surpasses knowledge, that (K)you may be filled with all (L)the fullness of God.

20 (M)Now to (N)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, (O)according to the power at work within us, 21 (P)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:15 Or from whom all fatherhood; the Greek word patria in verse 15 is closely related to the word for Father in verse 14

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel(A) before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches(B) he may strengthen you with power(C) through his Spirit in your inner being,(D) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts(E) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted(F) and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,(G) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep(H) is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge(I)—that you may be filled(J) to the measure of all the fullness of God.(K)

20 Now to him who is able(L) to do immeasurably more than all we ask(M) or imagine, according to his power(N) that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.(O)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:15 The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater).

Unity in the Body of Christ

I therefore, (A)a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to (B)walk in a manner worthy of (C)the calling to which you have been called, with all (D)humility and (E)gentleness, with (F)patience, (G)bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in (H)the bond of peace. There is (I)one body and (J)one Spirit—just as you were called to the one (K)hope that belongs to your call— (L)one Lord, (M)one faith, (N)one baptism, (O)one God and Father of all, (P)who is over all and through all and in all. But (Q)grace was given (R)to each one of us (S)according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says,

(T)“When he ascended on high (U)he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”[a]

((V)In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into (W)the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also (X)ascended (Y)far above all the heavens, that he might (Z)fill all things.) 11 And (AA)he gave the (AB)apostles, the prophets, the (AC)evangelists, the (AD)shepherds[c] and teachers,[d] 12 (AE)to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for (AF)building up (AG)the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to (AH)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, (AI)to mature manhood,[e] to the measure of the stature of (AJ)the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, (AK)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in (AL)deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, (AM)speaking the truth in love, we are to (AN)grow up in every way into him who is (AO)the head, into Christ, 16 (AP)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, (AQ)when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
  3. Ephesians 4:11 Or pastors
  4. Ephesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
  5. Ephesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth